Black spots in tub - new house (2014)

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Newhomeowner74

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Hi all,

Please help me with this problem as I have young kids and I am worried that these black spots are not healthy for them.

I see these black spots mostly when I draw a bath in the tub. Once it drains, I see little black specks stuck to the side of the tub and at the bottom of the tub. When I rub them, they smear.

There is another thread that talked about this extensively, but no clear solution.

When I google this issue. There are many suggestions such as deteriorating rubber gaskets, or errosion of anodes etc.

Are there any plumbers out there that have had first hand experience with this?

Thanks for your help!
Carol
 

JerryR

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Carol,

If your water heater has stainless steel braided flex hoses it's very possible that one of them is causing the black residue. The rubber liner inside the hose deteriorates and passes black stuff throughout the house.

I just had a stainless steel braided flex hose to my dishwasher cause the same black spots on dishes and silverware. That hose was installed in 2014. Replacing the hose resolved the black spot problem.

Report back with what you find.

https://www.classaction.org/news/ho...ver-defective-sharkbite-push-to-connect-hoses

braided-lines-black-specks.jpg
 
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Newhomeowner74

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Thanks JR, we had a plumber in this morning and he is baffled. We do not have any stainless steel braided flex hose attached to the water heater. We do have Pex line in between copper lines.

We now see that there is an oily film over the water.

Our toilets and fridge water supply is fine - so we conclude it is not due to the city water.

It has something to do with the hot water supply or whatever is circulating through there.

More ideas or solutions?
 

Reach4

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I have no experience, but is your water heater a conventional tank unit?
It has something to do with the hot water supply or whatever is circulating through there.
Do you have a hot water recirculation system?
 

Newhomeowner74

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Our water heater is a Bradford White model CSW2TW75T10BN and YES! we do have a hot water recirculation system. The plumber that came through today suggested we cut off the water recirculation system and see if that helps (he thinks that would be the only source of "lubricant" that could contaminate the water). What do you think?
 

Reach4

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I think your plumber makes sense. Do you see any rubber or other flex line in the recirc system? Maybe in the connections under the lavatory.
 

Newhomeowner74

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I think your plumber makes sense. Do you see any rubber or other flex line in the recirc system? Maybe in the connections under the lavatory.
Upon closer inspection after running another hot water tub, it is definitely tiny black pepper like specks. It stays that way at the bottom until I press on it. Once I do it smears and streaks. I can even pick it up and smear it between my fingers!!!

Ideas? How can I find out if I have any rubber flex lines?? Most of the lines I can see are copper or PEX.

Help!!!!!
 

Newhomeowner74

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Update - water recirculator turned off - still have black specks after a week.
We also checked the water floor heating system. Black specks there too!!!! That means it is either the hot water tank being the culprit or some sort of rubber connections into or out of the hot water supply that supplies both the heating system and drinking water. Technically, the two systems do not meet.

Does anyone have any comments about Bradfort White Combo Water heaters? Is there rubber inside these tanks? How is it that the heating water is mixing with the drinking water inside the tank without the water pressure being out of whack?

Thanks!
 
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